Legend has it that St. Brigid of Kildare, a fifth-century Irish nun, asked St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, to grant permission for women to propose marriage after hearing complaints from single women whose suitors were too shy to propose. Initially, he granted women permission to propose only once every seven years, but at Brigid's insistence, he acquiesced and allowed proposals every leap day. The folk tale suggests that Brigid then dropped to a knee and proposed to Patrick that instant, but he refused, kissing her on the cheek and offering a silk gown to soften the blow. The Irish tradition therefore dictates that any man refusing a woman's leap-day proposal must give her a silk gown.
If you think this story sound unrealistic, you're not the only one with doubts.
The roots of the Irish tradition are dubious. St. Brigid was just 9 or 10 years old when St. Patrick died in 461 A.D. -- though some put this date closer to 493 A.D.-- making the pair's friendship unlikely.
So I PROPOSE we celebrate in proper fashion!
Who: All cachers are welcome!
What: Celebrate Leap Day! Earn a souvenir! Dress to impress! Or not if you want to keep your freedom...
When: 1:29 pm to 2:29 pm... Just like the date!
Where: The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf @ 528 Orange St, Redlands, CA 92374.
Why: Don't deny my proposal or you owe me!